


Imagine Dai and Tetsu

by jadehqknb



Series: KuroDai Week 2019 [7]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Children, Collaboration, Day 7, KuroDai Week 2019, M/M, Puppy Love, aged down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-02-10 18:49:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18666271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadehqknb/pseuds/jadehqknb
Summary: It's not easy being eight years old and having to wear an eyeshade for a week. Daichi feels bored... and alone. Until Tetsu comes along and gives Daichi a new means to "see".





	Imagine Dai and Tetsu

**Author's Note:**

  * For [huiiiii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/huiiiii/gifts).



> KuroDai Week 2019, Day 7: ~~Just Married~~ / Childhood Friends
> 
> This is a collaboration piece with Huii. Her comic art of Daichi and Kuroo aged up is breathtakingly beautiful and incorporates the Five Senses prompt.

Daichi is bored. So very, very bored. Eyes covered by a shade to protect them while his infection heals, he’s limited in what he can do. Worse, he’s been shipped off to his grandparents. Something about not being “tempted” by all his toys and books at home. So here he lies outside, the breeze tickling his cheeks and neck itchy from the grass. He can’t even watch the clouds. He sighs, sounding more like a weary adult than a rambunctious eight-year-old.

His eyes close plunging him into deeper darkness. The doctor had given him a walking stick, but Daichi’s shins and knees attest to his lack of experience literally walking blind. Another sigh. He napped after breakfast and is feeling restless. The wind picks up slightly, stirring the chimes hanging off the roof and he jumps; the sound seems so loud. He’s picked up that, without his sight, everything else feels… more sensitive; especially his hearing. 

And it’s when the wind dies down and the chimes stop dancing that he hears it. 

Crying. 

He sits up, the furrow of his brow shifting the shade on his eyes as he works to pinpoint the direction of the noise. It’s faint but he can still hear it. He didn’t imagine it. He picks up his stick and stands, extending it to help guide him. It’s slow going, and he trips a few times, but the sound is getting louder. 

Finally, he’s close enough to call out, “Someone hurt?” 

There’s a startled noise then a voice, a little cracked and a lot sad, says simply, “No.” But they sniffle and Daichi knows he’s found the crier. 

“Then why are you crying?” he asks, almost accusatory. 

Another sniff. “Why are you wearing a blindfold?” 

A bubble of frustration fills Daichi’s chest. He doesn’t like when people answer a question with a question. “I’ll tell you if you tell me why you’re crying.” 

There’s a pause and then, “My… my mom left.” 

Daichi’s brow scrunches. That seems a weird reason to be crying. At first, he thinks maybe he’s talking to a little kid but he tosses that away. This kid, whoever he or she is, seems closer to his age. He doesn’t know why he knows that, it’s just a feeling. “Mom’s do that sometimes. Mine did, but she’s coming back in a week,” he says, perplexed. 

He jumps when the kid snaps, “Mine isn’t!” 

There’s silence and then the kid starts sniffling again and Daichi feels really bad. Without thought, he moves forward, forgetting to use his stick to guide him and runs into the other. They let out a startled squawk as Daichi’s hands reach out for support. But instead of holding him upright, they fall together in a heap to the ground. 

“Ow! Why’d you do that?” they complain, voice wet with their sadness and it twists Daichi’s insides. 

“Sorry,” he says, trying to scramble off. He manages, settling his knees on what feels like patchy grass, a few pebbles digging into the skin of his knees. After a second, he opens his arms; “You can cry, I won’t tell.” 

Silence returns and he’s starting to feel really stupid when there’s a warm body pressed against his, arms wrapping around his neck. He returns the embrace, staying quiet as the kid cries again. This close, Daichi can smell them now, a woodsy scent, between pine and oak and he wonders if the kid was in the wood recently. And under it the smell of… cherries? It’s nice. 

They stay like that for a few minutes before the kid pulls back, sniffling more. “Sorry,” they say brokenly. 

Daichi reaches blindly, glad to manage to pat what he thinks is their leg. “It’s ok. I said you could.” 

“Thanks.” They move a little away, then ask, “So why the blindfold?” 

“Oh, uh, my eyes are sick.”

“Sick? How did just your eyes get sick?”

Daichi shrugs. “Not sure. I just hafta wear this thing,” he snaps the shade with his thumb, “for a week. It stinks. I’m bored.” And scared sometimes, he thinks but does not say. It’s weird not being able to see all the time. 

“Um, then do you want to play together?”

“How?” 

“I don’t know. We’ll think of something.” 

And Daichi, for the first time since this whole thing started, finally feels something other than bored. He’s excited. Eagerly he nods, “Ok, we—”

“Dai! Dai, where are you? It’s lunchtime!” 

Daichi clicks his tongue. Just when things were finally getting interesting. “Sorry, I gotta go. But maybe we can play after lunch?” There’s hope in his tone. 

“Yeah, just, uh, come back here? It’s… I like it here.” 

Daichi doesn’t know where “here” is relative to anywhere else thanks to his lack of sight so he just nods. He’s pretty sure he can find his way back. But just in case if not he asks, “What’s your name?” 

“Tetsu.” 

Daichi stands, smiling and nodding thanks when his new friend Tetsu places the walking stick in his hand. “Ok, I’ll see you later then.” 

“How, you can’t take the blindfold off?” Tetsu asks.

Daichi takes a swipe at him with his stick but feels only air. “You know what I mean jerk!” But he’s laughing. It was a good joke. 

Tetsu laughs in return and Daichi decides he likes the sound of it.

About an hour later, full of lunch and feeling eager, Daichi makes his way in the direction of where he thinks he found Tetsu before. It’s slow going and he doesn’t want to get lost. Finally he gives in to the need for help, as much as he doesn’t want to. “Tetsu?” he calls, softly at first because he doesn’t know if there’s anyone else around. Why that matters to him, he isn’t sure, he just knows he wants it to be just him and Tetsu. And he thinks Tetsu feels the same way. 

There’s no answer so he walks forward again, hoping he’s headed the right way. “Tetsu?” he calls, louder this time. The only answer in the wind singing in the trees. Daichi shivers despite it not being very cold. He feels so alone, is so alone. His grandparents try, he knows, to make his stay more enjoyable but there’s only so long he can sit still listening to his grandfather read to him until he falls asleep and Daichi is left bored (and alone) again. 

He clenches his jaw, his throat tightening. His parents told him he couldn’t cry, that his eyes would take longer to heal if he did. So he swallows the lump in his throat and fights the fear in his heart. Did he imagine all that? Was ‘Tetsu’ a part of his imagination? Why imagine someone crying? Daichi shakes his head. This is stupid. He should just go back home before he stumbles into a hole—

“Dai!” 

The call of his name makes Daichi jump, his body spinning automatically towards the sound. “Tetsu?” he calls back eagerly. 

And then they’re next to him, a solid, warm cherry scented presence. He feels the slide of a hand into his and a gentle squeeze that calms his rapid heartbeat. “Sorry I was late,” they say, voice warm, traces of sadness gone.

Daichi shakes his head, deciding that, even if this kid isn’t real, they are real to him and they are here. “It’s ok. What did you want to do?” 

“I thought we could go to the woods. Don’t worry,” they say giving another squeeze to his hand and Daichi marvels at how soft their skin is, “I’ll stay right by you. Make sure you don’t fall.” 

“Are you sure? You couldn’t hold me up before,” Daichi says through a grin. 

“I wasn’t ready! And you’re heavy!”

“Maybe you’re just weak.” 

“Oh shut up. Let’s go.” 

They walk hand in hand towards the wood, Daichi trusting his friend to guide him and keep him safe. Even with the blindfold, Daichi can detect changes in light level, able to tell when they’re covered by the shade of the trees. That and the temperature drops, a delicious cool feeling rolling over his skin. It smells fresh and lush, and Daichi wishes he could see it. 

“The flowers are blooming now,” Tetsu says. 

“What color are they?” Daichi asks, reaching his other hand up to grip the sleeve of Tetsu’s shirt. It’s soft and Daichi wonders what color it is, whether it has any words or a picture on it. 

“There’s lotsa colors. Blue and purple, yellow and red.”

“What else?” Daichi asks, still holding on. They’ve stopped walking for the moment and he enjoys the cool breeze on his skin and the warmth of Tetsu’s voice in his ears. 

“The trees are really tall. They look like they’re touching the sky! If we go down this path more we’ll reach the river.” 

“Let’s go!” 

Tetsu chuckles at his eagerness, maybe they nod but soon the two of them are walking again. 

Until Tetsu lets out a high pitched squeal that makes Daichi jump. He loses Tetsu’s hand when the other tugs it away, another shriek piercing the stillness around them. 

“What is it?” Daichi asks, panic lancing through his chest as he barely manages not to fall. 

“There… was a spider on my arm,” Tetsu pants, still sounding scared. 

Daichi rights himself, covering his mouth to try to hold back his snickers because Tetsu sounds really scared but it’s hard. 

“Stop laughing at me,” Tetsu grumbles despite Daichi’s efforts. 

“Sorry,” Daichi says through another giggle does escape. They remain still, Tetsu close but not touching Daichi again yet. So Daichi extends his hand towards where he thinks Tetsu is standing. “Can we… keep going?”

He smiles when his hand is taken, gives a squeeze and they continue on. In little time, Daichi can hear the babble of the brook. It’s a pleasant, soothing sound drawing to memory playing in the puddles and creeks with his friends back home after the strong rains. 

“What are you smiling about?” Tetsu asks, guiding Daichi to sit on what he presumes is a large rock. They stay right by him though, hand still in his. 

Daichi tells them, shares stories of his life back home and the friends waiting for him there. 

“I have some friends like that,” Tetsu admits, voice quiet but steady, telling their own tales and soon both of them are laughing. 

It’s nice to share these things with Tetsu, deep in the woods, away from everything and everyone. And even though Daichi is still in the dark, he doesn’t feel alone anymore. They stay there for a long time, Tetsu interjecting when they see a squirrel or a pretty bird. They claim to have seen a bear in the distance but Daichi doesn’t believe them. If Tetsu was afraid of spiders, they would probably have run at the sight of a bear. 

The rumble of his stomach clues Daichi into the time and he knows it’s time to head back. Not just because he’s hungry but because doesn’t want to worry his grandparents. He says as much to Tetsu. 

“Ok, let’s go.” Daichi feels them move away from where they were pressed to his side and the flood of cool air replacing the warmth of their body heat makes him shiver. “You ready?” Their hand gives a tug to his and he nods, letting them help him to his feet. “See? I’m not weak.” 

Daichi snorts. “Uh huh, sure.” 

The way back is quicker than in, Daichi feeling a little more sure-footed since Tetsu kindly walks him on the exact path. Sunlight beams kiss his skin warming it quickly, the ground giving way from mixed stone and dirt to softer grass. 

They go a little further and then Tetsu hands Daichi his walking stick. Daichi hadn’t even remembered leaving it behind. “See you tomorrow?” Tetsu asks hopefully. 

“Yep! Let’s go to the other side of the woods.” 

“Ok, and next time so you don’t worry, here.” Tetsu pulls Daichi a little further forward, resting his hand against what feels like a tree trunk, the roughness of its bark scratching gently against his skin. “This used to be my favorite tree before lightning struck it and they had to cut most of it down. We’ll meet here. The way to your grandparents is this way.” Tetsu’s hands land on Daichi’s shoulders, a sure and steady grip as they turn him to face the way he should go. “Got it?” 

Daichi nods. “Thanks, Tetsu, see you tomorrow!” 

They go on like that, meeting in the morning, playing or exploring. Daichi finds he prefers Tetsu’s voice to his grandfather’s and sometimes asks them to read to him when they don’t feel like walking. They always stay outside, though, away from the adults, in their own little world. Daichi keeps it that way, answering vaguely when his grandmother asks him where he disappears to every morning until lunch. “Just be safe,” she said one time, worry in her voice. 

“I am,” Daichi had replied knowing that, no matter what, Tetsu would be there to help him.

The day comes where it’s time for him to go home. Daichi is excited, of course, he’s missed his family and his friends and being able to see. But there is something magical about this place. No, it’s not the place. It’s Tetsu.  A small part of him hopes that maybe, just maybe, Tetsu really is a part of himself and he can take them with him when he leaves.

“So you’re going home, huh?” Tetsu asks. Their voice is quiet, sadness in the undertone. 

Daichi nods. “Yep, my mom will be here soon.” He kicks at the dirt, frustration building in his chest. He really wants to see Tetsu, to get one look at this person who has given him so much of themselves, who has made a scary time into a fun and exciting one. 

He doesn’t want to leave. 

Tetsu steps closer, wrapping their arms around his neck. Daichi returns the embrace around their waist, taking in all he can of them, working to imprint it on his memory. Their scent, still woodsy but cherry laced (from the candy they carried he found later when they shared). The warmth of their presence, the song of their voice, the sense of safety and care he feels just being near them.

“Dai?”

Daichi pulls back, waiting for Tetsu to go on, but keeps his hands on their waist. “Can I… Can I kiss you goodbye?” 

The question startles Daichi and before he can think blurts out, “Why do you want to?”

He feels Tetsu shrug, their voice quiet as they say, “I dunno. Just… wanted to.” 

Daichi doesn’t say anything more but nods. His pulse quickens when the scent of cherries gets closer, Tetsu’s warm breath fan over his lips. A heartbeat passes between them and then Tetsu’s lips cover his own. It’s quick, the barest of touches but it’s enough to feel searing to Daichi. He’s never been kissed before, at least, not by anyone other than his family. It just never occurred to him to try. But, he decides, with Tetsu… it’s nice. 

They part, the last point of contact their hands before Daichi hears the call of his mother. 

“I have to go,” he says and feels the sting of tears pricking at his eyes. He can only hope it doesn’t matter anymore because he’s not sure he can hold them back this time. 

“Take care, I hope to see you again,” Tetsu says. 

“I hope to see you at all.” 

They chuckle at that, but there’s no real mirth, more just a reflex. Tetsu squeezes his hand again and then lets go and Daichi walks back to his grandparents' house. 

The morning of the day following his return home, Daichi is allowed to take off his blindfold. His mother keeps his room dark, letting in light a little at a time. When he can finally see, Daichi smiles widely. His mother pats his head, thanks him for being such a good, brave boy and announces she’ll make his favorite dinner and dessert as a reward and welcome home. She heads out of his room, leaving him on his bed. 

He looks around, a new appreciation for the ability to do so. Then, very softly, he calls, “Tetsu?” 

He’s not exactly surprised when there’s no answer, but it’s ok. Even far away, Daichi knows a part of Tetsu will stay with him. Because Tetsu was his guide, his storyteller and his friend. Daichi thinks he may love Tetsu and that’s ok too. Because Tetsu deserves to be loved, no matter where they are. 

**Author's Note:**

> Continuation by Huii [here](https://huii-2d.tumblr.com/post/184819423852/kurodai-week-2019)


End file.
